Niraj wins Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play

KATHMANDU: Niraj Tamang won the title of Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play, Sixth event under Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2024-25, at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Thursday.

No 2 pro Niraj defeated No 8 Dhana Bahadur Thapa 5&4 in the 36-hole final.

The match was decided after 32 holes when Niraj took 5-up lead with four holes remaining.

Niraj took a 2-up lead after nine holes, while he extended the lead to 6-up after 18 holes.

Dhana cut the deficit to five at the end of 27 holes, and Niraj completed the victory on the 32nd hole for third title of the season and fourth overall.

Niraj had won the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open for his maiden title in the previous season, while he claimed the titles of Surya Nepal Eastern Open and Surya Nepal Western Open in the current season.

Along with the title, Niraj received Rs 60,000. Runner-up Dhana got Rs 42,000.

Defending champion Dinesh Prajapati defeated Rabi Khadka 4&2 in the third-place playoff match which was played over 18 holes.

Dinesh earned Rs 32,000 and Rabi got Rs 24,000.

Four pros who lost in the quarter-finals, Bhuvan Nagarkoti, Pradip Kumar Lama, Toran Bikram Shahi and Rame Magar received 11,000 each, while eight pros who were eliminated in the first round – Pashupati Sharma, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Sanjay Lama, Jayram Shrestha, Ramesh Adhikari, Deepak Magar and Surya Prasad Sharma – earned Rs 6,000 each.

A total of 16 pros, based on the Order of Merit of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24, took part in the tournament played under the match-play format.

Deputy General Manager (Marketing) at Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Keshav Pradhan and Nepal Golf Association President Tashi Ghale handed over prizes to the winners.